The rumors about Mufti’s Son and the truth

Srinagar, January 19: The sudden death of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron and Chief Minister of the state, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has brought his family into the limelight. Out of four kids Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is survived by, only one Mehbooba is a politician. His one daughter Mehmooda is a doctor and settled in the US and the other Rubaiya is married into a Tamil Muslim business family and lives in Chennai.

Mufti Mohammad also has a son named Tassaduq Mufti who is 45 years old and works in film industry after having obtained a degree in cinematography from an American School.

Tassaduq chose a career other than politics unlike his father, but ever since his father passed away, he has been seen accompanying his sister and Mufti’s political heir apparent Mehbooba Mufti on most occasions.

He was seen in public for the first time on January 10 while hugging his sister Mehbooba who broke down at his father’s grave in his hometown Bijbehara, but this was a natural response. It was his second public appearance when he attended PDP’s core group meeting in Srinagar on January 17 to discuss government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, that set the rumor mills rolling.

His attending such party meetings has given rise to the suspicions of him joining politics. The biggest being the possibility of him contesting from Anantnag for MP seat.

Most reports suggest that he did notspeak a word during the meeting but he was there to lend emotional support to his aggrieving elder sister.

The speculations on his contesting from Anantnag came to fore because the parliamentary seat held currently by Mehbooba will become vacant if Mehbooba takes oath as CM. There are other two names selected for the purpose which are Sartaj Madni and Mufti’s nephew Sajad Mufti. Giving such a big responsibility to Tasaduq who has no political or administrative experience is very unlikely and the PDP president knows this well.